The Washington critic., 1887-12-31
WHAT SOCIETY TALKS OF
Gossip Over Two or Three Recent
Entertainments,
ANOTHER BAD FASHION REVIVED
An Attempt 60 DO Away With Whole.
sale Introduct'ons.

y
tion, tho Diplomatic Corps are received
directly after the Cabinet pay their re-
ypects TO the Chief Executive. Follow
ing The foreigners come the Supreme
Court Justices. 1t was not always so.
Until about the beginning of Grants
administration, the Justices were pre-
sented before the diplomats and their
state dinner was also given precedence.
Abroad the roval families and home
iignaturies always precede the foreign
CTS. Here we accord them the place OF
honor, next to tho official fanny ol the
President.
COME N TABLE ENTERTAINMENTS.
There has been quite good deal OF
gossip and no small amount Of fun over
Two or three entertainments which have
occurred here lately. The hosts and
hostesses on each OF these occasions in
tended that they would absolutely thrill
the social world with the extreme gem
tility Of the affair, and for this purpose
they brought to bear all the experiences
of stay of ut least q fortnight in the
atmosphere of London season last
summer, to hedge the event about with
the necessary dignity and awe. In the
first place their visiting list was closely
scrutinized, the sheep gently but firmly
separated from the goats, and then the
chosen few were divided in two grades.
The prime article was received one
week, the middlings came to feast o
week later.
Never before did simple entertain.
ment get such thorough overhauling,
and rarely have such well-meant eff
forts to do he real, swell thing been
met with greater ridiculc. The first
party was not brilliant success,
since nobody from the White House
put In appearance. After getting the
whole affair up as respectable imitation
of what tho same festivity might be in
London, and then have none OF the
royal blood come, or even send posy was
simply maddening. But it was great
fun for those in the secret. Our hostess
serenity did not desert her, as 1t almost
did on another occasion when she con-
stituted herself the bearer of the Presi-
dents regrets at not being able TO attend
y party. The lady to whom this message
was delivered calmly drew herself up
we did not invite him." Tableau and
But to get back to the last uptown freeze
out.
To make up the first batch of invita-
tions even the august body of the Diplo-
matte Corps was rent asunder, and a
part Of it was asked week ahead Of the
rest. That was an assumption of Amer
lean independence which excuses all the
other mistakes. The average hostess
swallows the whole Diplomatic Corps at
once. She probably doesn't remember
half their names and none Of their titles,
but she never draws the line on part
of our free-list guests. For the rest of
the poor Washingtonians invited, official
and otherwise, the incest discrimination
was exercised. Households were di-
vided, friends separated, and for fear of
going there on the wrong date, people
had almost TO carry the invitation
ground in their hats. Well, It is all
over. Everybody breathes easier, par
Gcularly those not invited at all. Some
who were invited for the second event
did not go.
One lady, whose name is synonymous
with the best social traditions and an
authority on all matters appertaining
thereto, had at her request thoroughly
coached our crude hostess some years
ago on all the knotty points which
would naturally bewilder one unaccus-
somed 10 such society. Her brilliant
pupil, in spite Of her efforts, has kept on
Now, setting herself up as a leader of a
new era, she absolutely invited the
kacher whose word is recognized au-
hority to the second feast. OF course
She did not go.
AN ANNOYING CUSTOM.
A fashion which started here not a
very long time ago Of not introducing
people who meet as guests at entertain
ments has been revived this winter and
has been already the source of much en-
barrassment and annoyance. There is
IN established custom in English society
pf never presenting one person to an.
Nher without mutual desire is shown
by the parties interested to meet. Some
pf our ultra-swell matrons, who have at
brief intervals edged about London
trawing-rooms, are endeavoring to carry
put the idea here, but ladies and gentle.
men whose opinions are worth repeat.
ing are regarding the movement with
nuiet scorn, and it is hoped that the Gus
tom will soon die out.
A lady who has not tact enough to in.
vite congenial company to dine or fol
any other festivity where the guests are
limited to certain number Of people
who know one another or who are dc
Birous TO meet, ought to postpone hei
hospitalities until she learns. To ask
debutante to a formal. dinner, Cir
whose acquaintances heretofore hay,
been those of her parents intimat,
friends and not introduce her TO singl,
man OF woman present, is an embarrass
ing experience which few care TO repeat
Yet such things arc Of nightly occur
renee. II seems no longer fashionabl,
among the new rich to present thei
friends to one another until they ask 70
an Introduction. An English dinner
party presupposes members Of the sam,
set, who are thoroughly well-Known I,
one another, at least by reputation. !
is not so here. New elements are al
ways coming TO the front and most o
them are very desirable. Nobody cal
make mistakes n introducing peopl
who are their guests for the while. /
the acquaintance is not desirable, ther
Mrs. Secretary Fish, when she LEI
the Administration, MAS considered tn
highest authority on all questions of thi
kind. She said, speaking Of general in
Productions, after she had presented
half dozen ladies to each other VIII
happened in for an afternoon call, sh
believed that the motive of true courtes
ought 10 be that which conduced most Il
the general comfort and pleasure. n
one was better able to make nice dis
tinctions nor deal with dcep problem
of this sort than Mrs. Fish, who shove
the true gentlewomen in all her oliicia
and nri ivate life here